It may be a Euro Summer for the rest of us, but Prince William and Princess Kate tend to take a different approach to their summer holidays.
From honeymooning in the Seychelles to skiing in the French alps, you may wonder where the young royals go when they get some time off from busy royal duties.
This year, it seems Kate and Will will take their three children, George, 10, Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6, to sunny Scotland.
The royal family’s regular trip to Balmoral was called into question this year with both Kate Middleton and King Charles undergoing cancer treatments. However, a source has confirmed to Express that the royal family will indeed head to their Scottish castle retreat for a week or two in the summer.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children are expected to be joined by the King and Queen Camilla, plus Princess Anne, and Mike and Zara Tindall.
While Scotland isn’t most peoples’ idea of a summery getaway (especially when you live a few hours’ flight from the gorgeous Mediterranean), it’s not the first time Kate and Will have thrown us with surprising holiday plans.
Here’s where the royals tend to go on their holidays.
Tresco Island, The Isles Of Scilly
When international travel was off the cards during the pandemic, Kate and Will decided to take their summer holiday in the British Isles of Scilly off the south west coast of England.
This islands may hold a place in William’s heart after he and Prince Harry summered there with their parents, King Charles and Princess Diana, in 1989.
Amazingly, you can stay at the gorgeous Georgian property where Kate and Will take the family. Dolphin House, a five-bedroom home within walled grounds, will only set you back around £11,500 (approx. $22,200) for a week in August.
Seychelles
For their honeymoon in 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton chose the Seychelles off the east coast of Africa. The couple booked into the private North Island Resort, one of the most exclusive and heavenly self-contained resorts in the region. Fun fact: George and Amal Clooney also honeymooned here in 2014.
Maldives
In 2014, seven months after Kate and Will welcome little Prince George into the world, the happy couple set off on a babymoon in the Maldives.
The couple, who left baby George at home with Kate’s parents for the trip, stayed at the Cheval Blanc Randheli resort on Noonu Atoll.
Balmoral Castle in Scotland
Balmoral has served as a private getaway for the British royal family for nearly 200 years, after the estate was bought by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria in 1852. In recent decades, the family have reliably gone here during any time when in-need of some serious R&R.
It appeared to be Queen Elizabeth II’s most beloved residence, with the late Queen heading to the Scottish estate any chance she could.
Balmoral was opened to the public for the first time in 2024, but will be closed when the royal family takes their holidays.
Mustique
The Caribbean island of Mustique has been a favourite of the royal family, but particularly Princess Kate and Princess Margaret. The latter was gifted a plot of land there in 1960, where she built her villa Les Jolies Eaux, where she visited every February and November until her death in 2002.
Meanwhile, Kate and Wills stay at the luxurious Villa Antilles. Prince George, who was born in July 2013, has spent many birthdays in Mustique. The island is also popular among other elite jetsetters, including Mick Jagger, who joined the royal couple there in 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of local establishment, Basil’s Bar.
Klosters
Ever wondered where the royals go skiing? The main answer is the Klosters alpine resort in Switzerland. King Charles has been visiting the ski region, staying at the Chalet Eugenia, for years, even taking Princes William and Harry here as children.
In 1988, then Prince Charles narrowly escaped an avalanche after being airlifted off the slopes. However, his friend Major Hugh Lindsay was killed.
Courchevel
While King Charles loves Klosters, William and Kate tend to prefer skiing at Courchevel in the French Alps. The Prince and Princess went to Courchevel on a family holiday with George and Charlotte in 2016, returning in 2023 with Louis in tow.
Kenya
This isn’t a frequent destination for the royals (that we know of) but it was the site of at least one historic occasion: when Will proposed to Kate in 2010.
The two were staying in a cabin on Lake Rutundu, where Kate wrote in the guestbook, “I love the warm fires and candle lights – so romantic!”
The two have also visited Lewa Downs wildlife reserve in Kenya, which is where William spent part of his gap year before attending university.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
